The Keqiao, China IFSC World Cup was a remarkable event that saw Japan’s Narasaki Tomoa capture his seventh Boulder World Cup gold medal. The victory took place in front of a 1000-strong crowd at the Shaoxing Keqiao Yangshan Climbing Center, elevating Narasaki to fourth place in the men’s all-time list for Boulder golds. With two flashes and two zones, he secured his win against 19 competitors in the final.
Due to heavy rainfall at the start of the competition, the round formats had to be adjusted, leading to a larger field in the final than usual. Despite this challenge, Narasaki’s performance was impressive and underlined his importance as he focused on preparing for the upcoming Olympic Games. His teammate Anraku Sorato also stood on the podium with a silver medal, showcasing his talent early in the season.
Belgium’s Hannes Van Duysen claimed third place on the podium, earning a bronze medal. This was his second Boulder World Cup medal after a silver last year in Hachioji. Van Duysen credited his consistency and winter training for his success. Amongst other competitors was Dayan Akhtar from Great Britain, who achieved a personal best finish of 19th place – an impressive accomplishment considering he finished 35th in previous years.
The IFSC World Cup in Keqiao set an exciting stage for what promises to be an unforgettable season ahead with more impressive performances from athletes worldwide. Visit the IFSC website for interviews with these talented individuals or view full results from this event online.
